Valentine’s Day: Love in Fundraising

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Three University of Memphis student organizations raised funds for their individual causes using a Valentine’s Day theme.

The Alpha Gamma Delta sorority collected donations and sold flowers to raise money for the St. Jude Up ’til Dawn program. Hannah Woodrow, chapter president of the sorority, said their group was selling flowers with cards for people to send to their loved ones.

“People can purchase flowers for their loved ones,” Woodrow said. “We can take the order and deliver it to them, or the people can take the order and take it to their loved ones themselves.”

Woodrow said the sorority could attach the cards to flowers and tell the recipient they have flowers coming.

Melissa Byrd of Up ’til Dawn for St. Jude discussed the purpose of their fundraiser and the purpose of Up ’til Dawn.

“St Jude Up ’til Dawn is a studentled, student-ran organization that fundraises for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” Byrd said. “It started at the U of M in 1998 with 11 students who raised $26,000, and now we have 1500 students who are hoping to raise $235,000. Student organizations like Alpha Gamma Delta show their characteristics and also how they want to raise money for St. Jude.”

Another group raising money at the University Center Wednesday was the African Students Association.

Thornton said she is collecting donations and selling the desserts for her organization.

“We’re basically raising funds for the organization,” she said. “The goal of the fundraiser is to make as much as we can to benefit the organization.”

Thornton gave some insight into the African Student Association.

“The purpose of the organization is to bring awareness to the African culture,” she said. “We talk about the dancing, the food, the different cultures and the different languages.”

Thornton said people needed to see the facts about Africa and not just think about the stereotypes.

“Not everybody speaks in the same language and shares the same religion there,” Thornton said. “There are different clothing styles, and each country has its own special presence in Africa.”

The U of M chapter of the NAACP had a “Kissing Booth” to raise funds for the organization.

Raven Lewis, one of the fundraising chairs, said the booth had a twist.

It wasn’t a real kissing booth; they sold Hershey’s Kisses.

“We decided to put chocolate kisses in a bag,” she said. “You can buy a kiss for yourself or a friend. So the concept came from a delivery system, and it’s like sending flowers. As soon as you place an order, I will send out an email, and I will call whoever you want to send it to.”